Amid resentment after the Lok Sabha polls debacle, the BJP-led Maha Yuti dispensation in Maharashtra is contemplating undertaking a cabinet expansion, appointing chairpersons of state-owned corporations and filling up the 12 vacancies of the Legislative Council from the Governor’s quota. With Vidhan Sabha elections just a few months away, the BJP-led alliance plans to plug all loopholes.
Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde, the chief leader of Shiv Sena and deputy chief ministers Devendra Fadnavis of BJP and Ajit Pawar, who is the NCP president, have already initiated discussions on this issue.
In the Lok Sabha polls, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (I.N.D.I.A.) comprising Congress, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) along with one Independent member has posted a tally of 31 while the Maha Yuti could get only 17 seats.
The smaller parties and Independents supporting the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP camp are unhappy over the delay in Cabinet expansion and delay in appointment of chairpersons of various government-owned corporations.
Since the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly comprises 288 members, the maximum ministers that the government can have is 43 – which means 14 more can be accommodated. It may be mentioned, the current council-of-ministers have all ministers of Cabinet-rank.
In the expansion, which is expected to be undertaken before the monsoon session, few ministers of state would be sworn in.